Testimonials

Elizabeth G. Mosqueda

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Anil Shrestha

Thesis research: A Comparison of Automated Thinners with Manual Thinning of Lettuce in the Salinas
Valley: Weed Control and Efficacy

As an alumnus of the Plant Science Department at California State University, Fresno,
I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to receive my M.S. degree
from such a prestigious program. At Fresno State, I not only had the opportunity to
conduct state of the art research in the sector of agriculture I am most passionate
about, but was also able to evolve into the scientist I am today with the mental,
financial, and scholarly support of the amazing faculty and staff within the Plant
Science Department.

One of the greatest strengths the Plant Science Department at Fresno State contains
is instilling inspiration and drive within each and every one of their students to
give back not only to the agriculture industry, but to the community as well. As I
pursued my M.S. degree at Fresno State, I was also given the opportunity to be a part
of various community service, educational, and professional events which not only
benefited those who sought my expertise , but also made me into a more well-rounded,
gregarious, and passionate member of the community.

I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Agronomy at the University of Wyoming, a feat
I never would have taken on if not for the superb program I received my M.S. degree
from. My hope is to return one day to California and help both those within the agriculture
industry as well as the community by becoming a Farm Advisor with the University of
California Cooperative Extension. It is because of my degrees I am an educated woman,
but it is because of the person Fresno State made me into, that I know I will be able
to achieve anything I set my mind to and more!

Nicholas E. Clark

My experience as a student and growing professional in the Fresno State Plant Science
Department was top-notch. I was always challenged intellectually, philosophically,
and culturally. The diversity of disciplines brought to the classroom by the faculty,
staff, and students was inspiring and made learning an exciting social project. The
camaraderie and fraternity among my cohort was unmatched, and it set the bar for cooperative
and collaborative work in my career. My personal motivation to reach my degree objectives
was met with financial, intellectual, and moral support to seize opportunity after
opportunity to expand my knowledge. I currently work as an area agronomic cropping
systems/nutrient management advisor with the University of California Cooperative
Extension, serving Kings, Tulare and Fresno counties. Every day, I feel confident
that I can rely on what I’ve learned in my graduate studies at Fresno State to succeed
and excel in my tasks.

Matt Beene

The academic and practical experience received at Fresno State while earning a Master’s
Degree in Plant Science made me a well-rounded individual, as a well as being technically
trained for a career in agriculture. The wide array of research conducted by Fresno
State faculty enabled me to obtain experience dealing with issues specific to Central
California. My thesis research focused on air quality issues related to agriculture—specifically,
ammonia emissions following nitrogen fertilizer application. The faculty in the Plant
Science Department helped me to achieve my academic goals and they truly cared about
each individual student in the program. I have found that my master’s degree from
Fresno State has help to make me a desirable candidate for agricultural jobs in California.
Currently, I am working as a Division Agronomist with Helena Chemical Company.

Vanessa Bremer

Studying in the Plant Science graduate program has been a very positive experience
for me, both professionally as well as personally. My M.S. degree in Plant Science
from Fresno State has proven invaluable to my career in plant breeding, and I am constantly
using the intellectual tools I developed during my time at the university. I believe
that the courses offered in the program are very well-oriented and necessary for all
Plant Science majors. Fresno State, being in the heart of the agriculturally rich
San Joaquin Valley, is a great location to study Plant Science, with great opportunities
for obtaining field experience. The professors of the program are outstanding, and
I am very glad to have been able to benefit from their in-depth knowledge and broad
experience. In addition, I also want to point out the great personality of my professors,
who have always been extremely helpful and have made me feel at home.

Vijay Chaganti

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sharon Benes

Thesis title: Reclamation of saline-sodic soils

The Department of Plant Science at CSU Fresno provides every best opportunity for
its graduate & undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing their careers
in the field of agriculture. I think the main assets to the department are its outstanding
faculty specializing in various fields of Agriculture and excellent research facilities
with a graduate laboratory and a 1000 acre farm. Being an international student from
India, the dept. has helped me a lot in adapting to this environment both academically
and culturally. The faculty was very encouraging, friendly and cooperative in every
aspect possible. Some of my main achievements were to conduct independent research
and develop writing & speaking skills. This has enabled me to give public talks and
presentations with ease and perfection.

I was very fortunate to have an outstanding thesis committee who helped me to conduct
my research successfully right from the start of the project to results. With all
the successful achievements made while I was in their Master’s program, I can definitely
ascertain that I received the much-needed professional experience and could expand
my horizons of knowledge & research interests, by working with the dept’s faculty.
I strongly believe that this experience had made me a confident candidate for a Ph.D.
program and has helped me in attaining admission at the Univ. of California, Riverside
with full funding. I am very thankful to the faculty of Dept. of Plant Science for
making me a poised professional student. Finally, I strongly believe that the Plant
Science dept. at CSU Fresno continues to carry its academic and professional excellence
in to the future generations.

Pedro Hernandez

Thesis research: Entomology- population dynamics and bio-control of spiders in vineyards

As a former student at CSU Fresno, I consider myself very fortunate to have completed
my M.S. in Plant Science under the direction of the professors in the Plant Science
Department. The knowledge and experience I gained while attending the Plant Science
M.S. degree program was extremely valuable in developing my career as a Research and
Development Representative in the Agricultural Chemistry Industry. If there is something
that separates this program from those at other universities, I would have to say
that is the professors. Their ability to teach, listen, help, guide and be there for
their students throughout the processes is exceptional. You will receive a first class
education that will allow you to compete in the job market and prepared you to move
quickly into a position of leadership and higher responsibility. Classes offered are
well in tune with what is actually happening in the field and are offered often enough
so that you can graduate in two to three years. I highly recommend anyone pursuing
a graduate degree in Plant Science to consider the M.S. program at CSU Fresno.

Dave Jamison

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sharon Benes

Thesis Research: Nitrogen fertilizer regimes for lettuce production

Acquiring a Master’s degree has been one of the most rewarding accomplishments I have
done. It has opened many doors professionally over the past five years. Upon getting
the degree, I left Pacific Agronomics to work for a large pistachio processing plant
in Coalinga. I was to become the general manager in one year’s time. I knew nothing
of processing, though the fact I had a Master’s degree of any kind got me in the door.
It was a 180 degree turn for me since it had nothing to do with soil science, but
the opportunity was good. Unfortunately, the facility was sold six months after I
was hired. Luckily, the ownership had a large scale farming operation in Kern County
and had a need for an individual like myself. The operation went from zero acres to
about 16,000 acres in five years and I was involved almost from the beginning. We
grow almonds, cherries, citrus, DOV raisins, pistachios, blueberries and walnuts.
As the in-house agronomist, I do land evaluations, irrigation design, salinity reclamation,
fertility management, GPS/GIS applications and of course, irrigation scheduling. Having
the Master’s degree allowed me to not only have the knowledge to excel, but most importantly,
the confidence to make decisions and interact in a community that, quite frankly,
relies mostly on what the neighbor is doing, or what the fertilizer salesman claims
is the truth. I question everything. For me, it’s not knowing if something works,
but how and why it works. I’ve come across many strange unscientific claims over the
years. By going through the exercise of doing a thesis, I became aware of how many
variables can influence a result. It’s amazing how things can become “truth” in the
commercial farming industry…. just because one guy grew 500 lbs. more almonds than
the next. The Plant Science Department has been a big influence on me even though
I don’t keep in touch too often. I am always reviewing old notes or papers to get
reality checks.

Namratha Reddy

Having come from India with a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences, I decided to further
my education by obtaining a Master’s degree in Plant Science at California State University,
Fresno. I was confident that this program would offer the curriculum needed to achieve
a successful professional career in agriculture. My most significant achievement as
a graduate student at Fresno State was strengthening my aptitude for successfully
conducting independent research and improving my writing skills, thanks to the support
of my thesis committee and the Plant Science graduate faculty. The faculty have always
been very helpful and a source of inspiration to the students. The Plant Science department
provides students with various opportunities to expand their professional horizons
by interacting with university and industry researchers with similar discipline interests.
I can certainly state that the professional exposure that I received at CSUF has definitely
made me a confident Ph.D. candidate. Currently, I am pursuing my Ph.D. in Soil and
Water Sciences at the University of California, Riverside. My research experience
at Fresno State and letters of support from Plant Science faculty helped me to earn
a full assistantship at UC Riverside.

Tarcisio S. Ruiz

Thesis research: soil solarization for the control of plant-parasitic nematodes

I was born and raised in Mexico in a small agricultural village in Michoacan. I learned
from my father my first agricultural lessons as a child. The passion for agriculture
continued through my life, and finally had the privilege to join the Master’s Degree
Program in Plant Science at Fresno State University. This experience changed not only
my life, but also the lives of each member of my family, and the people I interact
with. Very often I found myself playing an unconscious role model for young people
and family members. Education has changed my life and ultimately enabled me to enjoy
life at the maximum level, doing what I love to do. I am currently working in California
in the post-harvest fruit industry and traveling to other countries to provide technical
service and expertise to our customers to protect and preserve fruit quality. The
company that I am working for is the leader in new technology applied to the postharvest
industry, and thanks to the academic preparation at Fresno State and its Master’s
Degree program, I am part of this important mission.